Vishmi Gunaratne becomes second-youngest Asian WODI centurion

On August 16 (Friday), Sri Lanka’s Vishmi Gunaratne scored a majestic century against Ireland in the first-match of the three-match ODI series at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont, Belfast. This marked her maiden Women’s ODI (WODI) century. In the process, Gunaratne went past India’s Smriti Mandhana to become the second-youngest Asian cricketer to score a WODI ton. 

At 18 years and 360 days, Gunaratne is only behind former India captain Mithali Raj in terms of youngest Asian cricketers with century in women’s ODIs. Raj scored her maiden century against Ireland in 1999 when she was only 16 years and 205 days old. 

Incidentally, Amy Hunter of Ireland is the youngest to score a Women’s ODI century, having achieved the feat against Zimbabwe women in 2021 at the age of 16. 

Gunaratne, who was playing in her 16th Women’s ODI, had an average of 20.64 before this game and a best score of 50 with two half-centuries. The 19-year-old also became only the second Sri Lankan woman cricketer after her skipper Chamari Athapaththu to score a women’s ODI hundred. Athapaththu got out for a duck in this game. 

Youngest Asian batters to score a WODI ton

Mithali Raj - 16y 205d vs IRE W in 1999

Vishmi Gunaratne - 18y 360d vs IRE W in 2024

Smriti Mandhana - 19y 202d vs AUS W in 2016

Deepti Sharma - 19y 264d vs IRE W in 2017

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